Batman Beyond: Beyond the Mask
by NothingSoSpecial
Summary: When a new "friend" appears, hunted by one of Terry's greatest enemies back for the ultimate revenge, it marks a whole new, deadly game of cat-and-mouse. But as the alien is revealed to be much more than Terry bargained for, it's time to get serious- because this game is more serious than he, or anyone else, could have imagined, with everything on the line- including his life.
1. The Shadow Man

**Batman Beyond: Beyond the Mask.**

**Summary:** "When a mysterious alien comes out of nowhere, hunted by one of Terry's greatest enemies out for the ultimate revenge, it marks a whole new, deadly game. But as it heats up and Terry's new "friend" is revealed to be much more than he bargained for, it suddenly becomes clear that all these attacks, all these threats, are meant to target his family, his friends, and, more than anyone, himself- personally. And as a deadly ensemble of old enemies begin to emerge, with each battle deadlier than the last, it becomes even more clear that nothing is as it seems- and it's all leading up to one final showdown. And added to the growing list of problems are "personal" troubles- one that includes a very shady past, an even shadier old "friend," secrets that were never meant to be revealed, and a death in the family that no one saw coming. It's time for Terry to see what (and who) is really under his mask- and when he finds out, the answer may just lead to a decision that could change everything forever."

**Warning:** "This story will be heavier and darker than some other stories I've written, and will include vulgar language, blood/gore, violence, a character death, and other adult, mature themes. You have hereby been warned, so I don't want to see any complaints in my email. Remember, though, this is my story, so I can also do whatever I like- don't like it? That's just fine- go read something else. Don't ruin my day with some nasty comment. This happens to be my first Batman Beyond fan-fiction, but not my first fan-fiction ever. I have watched the TV show surrounding this show and know most of the information about the characters, personalities and mannerisms included- but I do apologize if some things are missing, incomplete, or inaccurate."

**Disclaimer: "I do not own Batman Beyond. Do not make me say it again."**

**N._.S._.S**

**Chapter One: The Shadow Man.**

**Terry McGinnis was a pretty normal kid until three years ago.**

Now, of course, he wasn't.

_"Make one more round. Then come back,"_ Bruce Wayne said through the Comm, causing the nineteen-year-old to grimace a little at the obviously bad-tempered tone. Usually, Terry would have made some light-hearted remark in response, but he figured it was probably best to keep Bruce on his good side- the old man's attitude seemed to be deteriorating faster than his health these days.

"Sure thing."

As the Comm switched off, Terry allowed himself to breath deeply and look out the window of the jet.

Gotham City never lost its overwhelming starry lights or sheer, prideful magnitude of high-tech splendor; no matter how many times Terry flew over it- which was many more times than he bothered counting anymore, considering he'd done it nearly every night for the past three years. He privately enjoyed being up so high and silently savored the nightly quietness of the normally lit-up and bustling buildings for a few stolen minutes every night before heading back to the Bat Cave.

This wasn't something he'd ever tell Bruce in a million years, of course, but still.

Just as Terry began to turn around and head back, he spotted something at the top of one of the buildings- which in itself was odd, because he knew by experience that the only kinds of people that were up so high this late at night in the city were gangs causing trouble or the building's late-night janitors having a smoke or something before getting back to cleaning the millions of windows before dawn.

Terry quietly locked onto the unidentified person, and was startled to see it staring right back at him.

"He" was a tall- at least seven feet- and almost a literal shadow. His entire body was covered with black leathery-looking skin. His hair was long, waist-length, and matched his black, shadowy body. He wore a crown of some sort, clearly made of jewels (but none Terry had ever seen) around his head. His harms were folded formally behind his back and his eyes were locked directly onto Terry, even through the scope of the targeting system.

From where he was, Terry could see them clearly- the shadow man's eyes were midnight blue- deep, serious, and deadly-calm.

Even as Terry watched, the "man" made no move, not even to grasp the sword that was belted carefully, intricately on his back, underneath his folded arms. He continued to stare- but not challengingly, or even menacingly- it was more of a contemplative, curious stare, like a child's.

Like Terry was a stranger he were meeting for the first time.

"Bruce, you getting this?" Terry asked through the Comm, "You see him too, right?"

He'd been tricked by things that weren't there many times before, and he wasn't going to take a chance this time- if this "person" attacked, he wanted to be absolutely sure he wasn't aiming at a building full of innocent people first.

_"I see him."_

"What should I do?"

The childish question was out before Terry could stop himself- and he cursed at it. He was nearly nineteen years old- he shouldn't have to be asking the old man stupid questions like this every single time something like this happened- _he_ was the Batman, not Bruce, so he could- _and had every right to_- decide things like this for himself.

_"Leave him alone,"_ Bruce answered, though it was clear in his voice that he was thinking the same thing- and was none too happy with the childishness of it- _"He hasn't attacked, so he's under our concern."_

Terry obeyed, but looked through the scope as he turned around one more time, just to be sure the unidentified, seemingly harmless figure wouldn't attack him while his back was turned- it had happened before more times than Terry would ever admit freely, and he wasn't taking the chance that he would further embarrass himself tonight.

"He" was still staring, this time in clear recognition.

In an _"I know you,"_ sort of way.

**N._.S._.S**

**Those impossibly knowing, dark midnight blue eyes haunted Terry all the way back to the Cave.**

"I'm telling you, he knows me."

Bruce didn't even turn from the computer, whose screen housed a huge, blown-up image of the figure Terry had been staring at (and been stared at by) at the top of the building less than a half-hour ago. Now that the teen could see more of the haunting-eyed figure, he knew now, without a shadow of a doubt, that it wasn't human.

"How can you tell?" Bruce finally answered- his voice inquisitive now instead of just irritable.

"His eyes," Terry said, simply, pulling off his mask and leaning on Bruce's chair.

The figure was, just as Terry had thought, almost seven feet tall. His skin was still pure, smooth black, but it was almost snake-like, scaly looking, now that he could get a closer look at it, and his features were sharp, lean, but muscular, like an adult athlete's would be. His hair was long, and incredibly soft-looking even in the sort-of blurry photograph the jet had taken; and was the same midnight black as his skin, more so adding to the fact that he looked like a human shadow.

The jeweled crown he wore was more like a necklace- it wrapped around his forehead with gleaming silver string, and had a single tear-shaped, midnight blue crystal hanging from it in the middle of his forehead, like a simple, but important, amulet- it was the same color as his eyes. The sword at his back was silver with a white-wrapped handle- which was all Terry could gather, it being mostly hidden from view.

His eyes were, of course, midnight blue- strong and dark.

Imposing.

The kind that would probably haunt his dreams for a while.

He looked proud, noble, almost like the princes from royal families that the teen had studied last year in school.

"Do you know who he is?" Terry asked, already somehow knowing the old man's answer before he spoke.

"No, but I'm looking," Bruce told him, eyes staring unwaveringly into the computer with intense, highly-trained interest. "Why don't you change and leave for the night? You have school tomorrow."

It wasn't a request- it was a clear dismissal.

**N._.S._.S**

**"You're late again! You're in trouble!"**

Matt, Terry's little brother, ran excitedly into the living room as Terry entered the apartment. Throwing his backpack (which contained the Batman suit, just in case) onto the couch, the teen grabbed a plate of leftovers from the fridge- probably left there by his mother hours before, and put it into the microwave as Matt continued messing with him- they both knew Terry wasn't in trouble-

Their mother wasn't even home yet- but it didn't stop the kid from continuing his tirade.

Terry patiently put up with it until his supper was ready and he'd grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, then he booted Matt from his bedroom when he tried to follow him in.

"Get out of here, twip," Terry said, easily, as he closed the door, eventually causing Matt to leave.

After quickly eating his meal of semi-heated leftovers, Terry pushed the plate aside and grabbed his laptop, opening the tap to his email page. He deleted the compulsorily spam and answered a couple of homework-related questions, before spying a chat request from his longtime girlfriend, Dana.

**You busy Saturday?** The message read, somewhat coolly, **Everyone's going to this schway place downtown.**

**I'll check with Mr. Wayne,** Terry typed back, though he (and probably Dana) knew for a fact that he wouldn't be joining her and their regular group of friends, **I might be able to get out for a night.**

With that, he closed the laptop with a soft snap and put it back onto the bedside table. He crossed the small room to the window and opened it, allowing a kind, nightly breeze into the otherwise stale-aired room.

Thinking of Dana and the infinite number of dates and parties he'd missed, and how close he'd come to losing her in the last three years, Terry eyed the backpack containing the Batman suit with some fleeting annoyance (and a split-second of regret) before letting it go, crawling under his blankets and lying back in bed.

But it was hours before his eyes finally closed.

**N._.S._.S**

**Terry lay, somehow immobilized, in his bed, blankets still wrapped around him as he gazed up in shock at the figure standing beside his bed, midnight blue eyes staring down at him, as if right into his soul.**

The shadow man, the same stranger Terry had seen earlier downtown, stared down at him.

"Do not fear me, for I am not yours to fear," _The being said, quietly, in an unearthly, inhumanly strong voice that resonated throughout the suddenly tomb-silent room. He ignored Terry's startled stare and merely stepped back when he bolted up in alarm,_ "I know who you are, and I have come with a warning."

"What warning?" _Terry demanded, eyes flashing to the suit, still safely contained in his backpack._

"Your enemy draws near, the man whose very presence wilts the ground he walks upon."

_Terry could only stare back, but the being does not elaborate except to continue, _"Your greatest enemy is returning to exact unholy vengeance upon you, the masked defender that is the cause of his suffering, upon this city that has shunned him, and on the son that betrayed him." _The shadow man folds his arms and his dark blue eyes narrow, making him seem more of a shadow than ever, _"I cannot fight him much longer, and I cannot run- for his radiance decays me, and he already knows I am here, warning you of his vendetta. But I must come," _he adds, as if admitting some terrible failure on his part,_ "For you, the boy who wears the mask of fear, will be in terrible danger."

_The teen's breath caught dryly in his throat as the slowly took off the amulet-necklace adorning his head, and lays it on the bed, next to Terry's head. The midnight blue stone glows oddly, powerfully, as it lies motionlessly, but not otherwise unnoticeable, on the pillow._

"I will assist you," _the being promises with a slow nod, as if Terry had asked,_ "But you must be aware of the danger if we are to ensure that. Even as we speak, your enemy draws nearer..." _a shudder suddenly, and without warning, a violent seizure jolted throughout the being's entire lean, dark body, and his eyes close for a split second before returning to his former strong self,_ "Your enemy who wilts the ground at his feet comes. I must leave now, before he finds me here tonight," _he adds, almost regretfully, as he bows in farewell._

"Wait,"_ Terry called back, but was rebuked by a sharp gesture by the shadow- a powerful hand pressing against his chest forced him back down into his mattress. The necklace slipped under the blankets and was lost beneath them- though Terry could easily feel them underneath his back._

"Your enemy comes now," _the shadow said, voice suddenly stony and dark,_ "I shall draw him away."

_Suddenly, as the shadow man finishes speaking a bright green light flashes- an evil light that instantly made Terry call out in surprise- and pain. The light makes spasms of agony instantly race throughout his body, as if it were made of daggers. The stranger's demeanor changes from calm to protective instantly as he prepares for battle, and he speaks one more time._

"We will meet again."

_And with that, the shadow man promptly vanishes, without another word, taking the green daggers of light with him._

**N._.S._.S**

**Yes?**

**No?**

**Kill it with fire?**

**Please tell me what you think! XD**


	2. The New Kid

**Batman Beyond: Beyond the Mask.**

**Summary:** "When a mysterious alien comes out of nowhere, hunted by one of Terry's greatest enemies out for the ultimate revenge, it marks a whole new, deadly game. But as it heats up and Terry's new "friend" is revealed to be much more than he bargained for, it suddenly becomes clear that all these attacks, all these threats, are meant to target his family, his friends, and, more than anyone, himself- personally. And as a deadly ensemble of old enemies begin to emerge, each battle deadlier than the last, it becomes even clearer that nothing is as it seems- and it's all leading up to one final showdown. And added to the growing list of problems are "personal" troubles- one that includes a very shady past, an even shadier old "friend," secrets that were never meant to be revealed, and a death in the family that no one saw coming. It's time for Terry to see what (and who) is really under his mask- and when he finds out, the answer may just lead to a decision that could change everything forever."

**Warning:** "This story will be heavier and darker than some other stories I've written, and will include vulgar language, blood/gore, violence, a character death, and other adult, mature themes. You have hereby been warned, so I don't want to see any complaints in my email. Remember, though, this is my story, so I can also do whatever I like- don't like it? That's just fine- go read something else. Don't ruin my day with some nasty comment. This happens to be my first Batman Beyond fan-fiction, but not my first fan-fiction ever. I have watched the TV show surrounding this show and know most of the information about the characters, personalities and mannerisms included- but I do apologize if some things are missing, incomplete, or inaccurate."

**Disclaimer: "I do not own Batman Beyond. Do not make me say it again."**

**N._.S._.S**

**Chapter Two: The New Kid.  
**

**G****otham High wasn't exactly the best school in the world.**

Sure, there were plenty of sports, clubs, and various activities to go around, but in general, Terry found it to be too repetitive and boring- and up until a few years ago, he couldn't have been bothered to attend, no matter what punishments his late father, Warren, came up with.

Now, of course, he didn't mind it quite so much.

Terry hadn't been entirely sure of the shadow man's realness until that morning, but when he remembered necklace he remembered that he'd been given, and found it after a few frantic moments of searching, the teen had found it stashed under the sheets.

It didn't look like any piece of jewelry he'd ever seen.

The silver string didn't feel like metal- it felt like liquid trapped in a somehow solid form. It was always warm and slick, like heated, sweating metal. The amulet that hung from it turned out to be a locket- but Terry couldn't manage to pry it open. It was maybe a half-inch big all around, tear-shaped, and colored a dark, almost sickly, midnight blue color- the same that the stranger's eyes had been.

Out of caution, Terry kept the locket hidden inside his jacket pocket, not only just in case the shadow man came back for it, but also because he didn't want to end up either loosing it or someone accidentally taking it- Terry was a smart kid, and he knew that the one who had given him this trinket for a reason.

"Hey, Terry!"

The teen looked up, startled out of his thoughts, and saw Dana standing near the steps leading up to the school. She waved and ran up to him, dark eyes glistening in obvious excitement.

"Hey, Dana," Terry answered, "What's up?"

Dana grinned back in reply, eyes flashing again. She was one of those kinds of people who knew everyone and everything around the school, which, naturally, she used to stay ahead on parties and activities going around, and always seemed to know what the new "schway" thing was.

"What?" Terry asked, brows rising.

"Nash got himself in trouble again," she reported, pointing to the doors of the school.

"And?"

"Come on."

She grabbed his hand and he allowed her to pull him inside.

**N._.S._.S**

**N****elson Nash was your ordinary pain-in-the-ass jock.**

Often, he could be found on the field tossing around balls, out in the pool doing laps, or out on the dance floor in the best of Gotham's clubs, usually making a jerk out of himself and his equally-mean friends.

And, as usual, it looked like he was busy proving his status.

By the time Terry and Dana had pushed their way through the growing crowds, Terry could see Nash gnashing his teeth, looking utterly pissed, while another kid stood across from him, arms folded behind his back.

"What did you say to me, _dreg_?"

But what Terry found odd was that the kid he was talking to didn't exactly look like Nash's usual M.O.

This time, Nash's target was a tall, a little taller than Nash, and wore a black turtleneck, jeans, and high-heeled combat boots, and carried a black bag over one shoulder. He had dark eyes, hidden behind smart-looking wire-framed glasses. His black hair was tied back into a long ponytail, neat and out of his face.

The kid simply raised a single brow at Nash, as if he didn't understand what he was so pissed off about.

He pointed to the terminal behind him.

"I asked you to move," he said, in an oddly familiar voice, "I merely wish to use the device behind you."

Kids around Terry laughed, including Dana, but Terry just groaned internally.

A new kid.

Just right for Nash and his gang of bullies.

"What are you," Nash sassed, "Medieval? Talk right, man!"

The new kids looked confused, and it must have been obvious to everyone, because there were new bursts of laughter from the crowd, especially from Nash.

Terry had enough.

"Leave him alone," he said, stepping up, "Just let him use the computer already."

Nash rounded on him.

"Hey, Terry, is this your new clown friend?" Nash asked, pretending to be surprised, "Did you bring him back from the middle ages or something?"

"I would step away from him," The kid spoke up, stepping forward.

"Yeah? Why's that?" Nash snapped back, rounding back on him before Terry could stop him.

The kids' hands were still behind his back.

He looked totally unafraid- emotionless, even.

_"Because I would hate to see your face splattered all over the clean floor."_

Even Terry started at the threat.

Nash paled and actually stepped aside.

However, the kid seemed to have lost interest in the computer, because he just turned away and walked off, disappearing into the crowd that let him pass, almost reverently, through.

Terry could have sworn he was smiling as he walked away.

Nash swore just as the bell rang.

**N._.S._.S**

**"D****id you see his face?"** Dana asked as they entered the classroom, "Nash looked ready to scream."

"It was just an empty threat," Terry promised, although he wasn't too sure.

But that voice…

Terry was sure he'd heard it somewhere before.

"I hope you all enjoyed your weekend," Mr. Vice, the Literature professor, proclaimed gaily, "And as you can see, we've got a new student to welcome into our esteemed school today…"

Terry glanced up from his desktop computer when Dana gasped.

And his eyes promptly widened in shock.

"_No way!"_

The kid who threatened Nash stood before the class, arms still folded peacefully behind is back, face still as expressionless as it was before.

"Care to introduce yourself?" Vice asked with an approving nod.

"Reed," The new kid spoke up, quietly, "My name is Reed."

Terry watched in renewed interest as the kid silently took the seat next to him.

"Terry McGinnis," He said with a nod.

Reed looked over at him and nodded back. "You are the one who stepped in this morning, are you not?"

Before Terry could answer, Dana did.

"Yep," She said, dark eyes brightening, "Sure did!"

Reed studied them both for a moment, and his eyes gentled. "Thank you for your assistance," he said, "But next time, let us ensure that you do not put yourself in unnecessary danger."

_ What the heck?_

"Danger?" Terry answered, incredulously, "From Nash?"

Dana laughed quietly, eyes on her screen.

In front of them, Vice droned on, almost mutely.

Reed shrugged. "Intervention was unnecessary. Such a brash man couldn't have harmed either of us."

_Okay..._

"Uh… thanks?"

Reed nodded slightly in approval before turning his attention to his desktop.

Dana just kept laughing.

The locket in Terry's pocket seemed heavier.

**N._.S._.S**

**Thank you, Guest, for your lovely Review! XD**


End file.
